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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: charge · court · cue · stand · net · face · chip · stock

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. chip — for betting
  3. net — in sport
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. face — part of the head
  6. chip — to eat
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. cue — a signal
  9. face — to point toward
  10. court — for sport
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. cue — for pool
  13. charge — in control
  14. stock — goods
  15. cue — a hint
  16. net — for catching
  17. net — after costs
  18. court — of a king
  19. court — of law
  20. charge — electricity
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stand — to bear
  23. face — to confront
  24. charge — a price

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com